Anamorphic widescreen
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Anamorphic widescreen is a video technique that utilizes rectangular (wide) pixels to store a widescreen picture into standard 4:3 aspect ratio. In its current understanding as a video term, it was originally devised for widescreen television sets with a 16:9 aspect ratio, however it has been used in regular film movies for decades.
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[edit] DVD Video
DVDs using anamorphic widescreen are very similar to anamorphic film negatives, where the rectangular image is optically-squeezed (horizontally) to fit inside the almost-square storage space. When viewed on standard 4:3 televisions without adjustment, the anamorphic image will look compressed, such that the actors look exceptionally thin or tall (and a circle will appear as a vertical oval). Changing the DVD player's menu to the "4:3 letterbox" setting will digitally-insert black bars to the top/bottom of the image, thus eliminating the distortion and allowing the movie to be viewed in letterbox format. (Alternatively, the viewer can disconnect the 4:3 set and replace it with a widescreen 16:9 set. The image will still be anamorphic, however the wider screen will eliminate the visual distortion.)
Most video DVDs include a data marker that allows the player to automatically select whether the video should be presented with digitally-inserted black bars for 4:3 sets, or "as is" for 16:9 sets. If the source film is wider than the 16:9 (1.77) aspect ratio, then narrow black bars will be recorded on the top/bottom of the DVD's video, in order to preserve the proper appearance of the film (e.g. 1.85:1 or 2.35:1).
Note that neither 720x480 (1.5:1) nor 720x576 (1.25:1) are in 4:3 (1.33:1) display aspect ratio. The DVD 720x480 standard was based upon the older analog NTSC and PAL standards which have a fixed 4:3 aspect ratio, but a variable horizontal resolution (approximately 200 up to 700) depending upon the quality of the received signal. The DVD specification was designed to capture this variable resolution, assuming an ideal lossless NTSC or PAL signal. When a 1.5:1 NTSC-DVD is viewed on a standard 1.33 display, each pixel is squeezed closer together, or when viewed on a 1.77:1 display, moved farther apart. When a 1.25:1 PAL-DVD is viewed, each pixel is moved farther apart in order to recreate the proper 1.33 or 1.77 aspect ratio.
DVDs with a 16:9 aspect ratio are typically labeled anamorphic widescreen, enhanced for 16:9 televisions, enhanced for widescreen televisions, or similar, although currently there is no labeling standard. Otherwise, the movie will only support the standard full-frame display and will simply be letterboxed.
[edit] Packaging
There has been no clear standardization for companies to follow regarding the advertisement of anamorphically enhanced widescreen DVDs. Some companies, such as Universal and Disney, include the aspect ratio of the movie. Below are how various companies advertise their anamorphic DVD movies on their packaging:
- 20th Century Fox: Enhanced for Widescreen TVs, Anamorphic Widescreen, sometimes not labeled, includes aspect ratio on newer titles.
- Anchor Bay: Enhanced for 16x9 TVs, includes aspect ratio in most cases.
- Artisan Entertainment: 16:9 Fullscreen Version, or Enhanced for 16:9 Television (since it became part of Lions Gate, the newer reissues include aspect-ratio information on many titles).
- Buena Vista: Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions, includes aspect ratio.
- Columbia TriStar: Anamorphic Video, sometimes not labeled, includes aspect ratio.
- Criterion: Enhanced for Widescreen Televisions, or 16:9, always includes aspect ratio.
- DreamWorks: Widescreen format, enhanced for 16x9 televisions since acquisition by Paramount; aspect ratio included on formerly Universal-distributed titles.
- Image Entertainment: Enhanced for 16x9 TVs, some titles include aspect ratio.
- MGM: Enhanced for 16x9 TVs or Enhanced for Widescreen TVs, includes aspect ratio on 2001–present titles; uses Fox’s format since 2004.
- New Line Cinema: Enhanced for Widescreen TVs.
- Paramount Pictures: Enhanced for 16x9.
- Trimark Pictures: Widescreen (letterboxed means non-anamorphic) Since it became part of Lions Gate, the newer reissues include aspect-ratio information on many titles.
- Universal: Anamorphic Widescreen (widescreen means non-anamorphic) (Gives aspect ratio of film).
- Warner Bros.: Enhanced for Widescreen TVs, says scope or matted instead of giving aspect ratio.
It should also be noted that 35 mm theatrical releases are not the only releases. An anamorphic widescreen DVD with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, 1.73:1, or 1.85:1 is a 35mm original widescreen theatrical release. Ratios of 2.2:1 to 2.5:1 represent even wider formats such as CinemaScope or 70 mm. Both forms exist in commercial movies today in addition to the specialty 120mm IMAX format. The differences in letterbox and widescreen have been denoted throughout their history on VHS tapes as the amount of viewable black bars long before widescreen TVs and Digital media gave way to larger viewable aspect ratios. Letterboxed movies were more compressed, having larger black bar areas. "16:9 enhanced" (or another similar message) simply means that it has been encoded for the media device and TV/Monitor to recognize and play in an uncompressed viewing mode taking full advantage of a widescreen device.
[edit] Film
Most commercial cinematic presentations are recorded onto standard 35mm 4:3 aspect ratio film, using an anamorphic lens to horizontally compress all footage into a 4:3 frame, where an anamorphic lens on the movie theatre projector ultimately corrects the picture. See anamorphic format for details.
[edit] Television
Major digital television channels in Europe (for example, the five major UK terrestrial channels) carry anamorphic widescreen programming in standard definition. In almost all cases, 4:3 programming is also transmitted on the same channel. The SCART switching signal can be used by a set-top-box to inform the television which kind of programming (4:3 or anamorphic) is currently being received, so that the television can change modes appropriately. The user can often elect to display widescreen programming in a 4:3 letterbox format instead of pan and scan if they do not have a widescreen television.
